A Prayer about Being Filled with the Holy Spirit: Seeking Transformation

A Prayer

Dear God,

I come before you humbly and with an open heart, seeking your guidance and direction as I seek to live a life that is pleasing to you. As I look at the book of Acts, I am reminded of the incredible power of the Holy Spirit and the transformative work that can take place when we allow ourselves to be filled with your divine presence.

Father, I ask that just as you filled your disciples with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, that you would also fill me with the Holy Spirit and use me to fulfill your mission in the world. Help me to be open and willing to follow wherever you lead, to speak boldly about your love and truth, and to serve others with humility and compassion. Give me the courage to step out of my comfort zone and take risks for your kingdom, knowing that you are with me always.

I particularly ask that you will give me the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Regarding love, help me to not only feel love for my friends, but also for my enemies, as described in Matthew 5:43-45. When people hurt me or are mean to me, it is so hard to have kind feelings, extend grace, and pray for them, but I can be encouraged that Jesus did it in Luke 23:34 when he forgave his torturers in the midst of suffering so much worse than I ever have. This is true love! Thank you Jesus that your love is so extreme that you chose to suffer a terrible death so that I can be assured of a salvation that will allow me to live with you and prevent me from having to suffer for eternity!

Lord, you know that my biggest weakness is patience. I struggle when things are inefficient, slow, and ineffective, and sometimes I take this out on people closest to me. Why is it that I have little self-control around those that I love most? As I encounter situations that are beyond my ability, send the Holy Spirit to whisper wisdom in my ear and give me strength to overcome temptation to lash out.

Kindness and goodness are somewhat easier for me than patience, but sometimes I struggle when kind and good actions are met with inefficiency and ineffectiveness. I tend to get very frustrated and my tongue loses control! Help me to overcome this.

Which brings me to gentleness and self-control. My frustrations and impatience often lead to a lack of both of these. Please allow the Holy Spirit to temper my emotions so that I can have joy and peace in the midst of temptation, struggle, and conflict. Let me reflect the character of Christ in all I do and say.

Above all, give me faithfulness. A faithful heart can overcome all struggles and temptation. Give me an understanding of what it means to be Christ-like and help me to strive to imitate Jesus in all that I do and say. Don’t let me turn to the left or right, but help me stay on the solid path that leads to Jesus.

I pray that all of this will result in joy and peace. No matter the turmoil and disappointment of external circumstances, Romans 5:1-5 and 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 remind me that joy, hope, and peace is always possible. Help me to believe this and have an abiding sense of joy based on my faith in Christ!

In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Respond

Please consider the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 and pray a prayer about being filled with the Holy Spirit. If helpful, you can use a prayer journal template.

As you consider the theme of being filled with the Holy Spirit, are there any Bible verses that came to mind? If so, add a comment at the end of this post!